Summer Breeze
by starrytearss
Summary: Tony and Neela. AU, set after the series finale. I've decided to expand this story. Chapter 3's up. Ray get's Neela's voicemail, and makes a drastic decision. Reviews are loved!
1. Chapter 1

_Note: I know two fics in two days, wow. Okay, this is everything opposite than what I usually write. This is a Tony and Neela fic. It's an idea that's been bugging me to death in the last few hours, and I'm scared that I might like…become a fan of these two together. So I'm just…'testing'…to see if it's just a 'fling', or if I crossed over to the dark side. Okay, anyway, on with the story, which IS a one-shot. And as always, I don't own anything. And it's a good thing I don't; cause then the show would probably be MORE messed up than it already is. Okay, NOW with the story._

They walked alongside the river, the moon's reflection bouncing off the water. Their hands were intertwined, and both seemed content. Neela smiled as the summer wind blew in her face, the smell of Chicago summer filling her completely. She glanced down at their hands, and she felt strange warmth spread in her chest.

The first warmth in a long time.

Her eyes traveled to his face, and he held the same genuine smile she did. She never thought that she would be here with Tony after that dreadful night at the wedding, but, here they were, together, walking alongside the peaceful, reflective river on this warm summer night.

For a moment, she let herself reflect on how they ended up here, together, after she had told them she didn't love him.

Which sounded so foreign to Neela now, because, in all honestly, she did love Tony.

He had grown up so much over the last year. He learned to put things in his life in different perspectives. He was all about being a doctor, a good father, and the best man he could possibly be.

A year ago, he was the complete opposite. But the past is all that is gone, and the future was yet to come.

She knew it began when Ray left. That day…it still brought tears to her eyes, but she refused to cry over him, after he left, blaming her for his accident.

And then _her_ accident happened. And Tony was there for her every step of the way.

He even called Ray for her. He was sitting with her on her couch that night, and when he hung up the phone, he looked at her with such apologetic eyes, that she could actually feel her heart being torn to sheds.

Ray wasn't coming back.

That was when she realized that she had to forget about him. No matter how hard it was, she had to. Or else it was going to eat her up inside, and she had too much life ahead of her to waste it on the man she thought she loved, who proved that he didn't love her in return.

And Tony?

He loved her. He took care of her. He never _deserted_ her. He never made her cry. He made her happy. He helped her learn to walk again; he helped her through her injuries. And she worked with him to straighten him out, which he was in much need of.

And of course, he saved her life.

That's love. If that wasn't, then she didn't know what was.

Suddenly, Tony stopped walking. They stood in front of a lit water fountain, the blue-lit water spilling over the edges.

Tony let go of her hand, and stepped in front of her. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a black box.

Neela's heart stopped.

Tony got down on one knee, took her delicate left hand in his own.

'Neela…From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. You helped me become a better person, you helped me change my ways. You were there for Sarah and I when Meg died, and I can't even begin to express my gratitude for that.'

He paused, gazing deeply into her eyes. 'I love you, Neela. With all my heart.'

He then opened the box, revealing a diamond-cut golden ring. Neela's eyes filled up with tears. He plucked the ring from the box, and placed it before her left ring finger.

'Will you be my wife?'

She smiled, the tears falling freely. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies as she spoke the only words she could think of.

'Yes, Tony. I will.'

Tony revealed a toothy smile as he placed the ring on her finger. He then stood up, and picked Neela up into his arms, twirling her around in the summer breeze. Neela cried in his shoulder. She hadn't been this happy in a very, very long time.

This, in itself, was pure love.


	2. Chapter 2

_I know that this was supposed to be a single chaptered story, but I felt that there were some loose strings between Ray and Neela that needs to be tied. So, here's the final chapter of "Summer Breeze", unless of course something else comes to mind. Thank you for your reviews. _

She lay awake next to Tony's sleeping body, unable to follow suit. She raised her left finger to her eyes, and smiled. This was not a matter of cold feet or regret. She wanted to marry Tony.

She just didn't know if she should invite Ray. After all, she hadn't heard from him in over a year. She'd tried calling him, countless times no less. But he never answered.

Not a single time.

Several messages left with no return, several letters sent with no reply. What was the point? But Ray used to be her best friend, and she did care about him.

But then again, she had shed so many tears over him. So much guilt for something he caused. So much pain and suffering because of his actions. So much blaming…so much agony. The depression had been close to fatal. Suicide, she had attempted that over him. More than once. Cutting… Drinking…

The feeling that what happened to her was her karma, something she deserved.

And he wouldn't even come back after learning about that. Something that was so unlike Ray that she realized that he must hate her after learning of the depression, he wouldn't come back.

Not that she did all of that for his attention,, she simply did it because she thought she deserved it.

Then, the man laying next to her had finally saved her from herself. He had sent her away. He set up counseling sessions for her. He leant her a shoulder to cry on.

He helped her through it all. And in the end, he saved her life.

Ray? He destroyed her. And she was considering inviting him to their wedding.

Pathetic.

But if she didn't at least attempt to invite him, she'd probably loose sleep for more than just one night.

So she swung her legs over the bed and stood up, walking down to the living room. She reached the sofa and picked up the phone at the side table. She dialed the number she knew by heart.

As expected, he didn't answer, and his voicemail came on.

'_Hey, it's Ray, leave a message and I'll get back to you.'_

She then began biting her nails until the beep. She took a deep breath.

'Hey Ray…it's me. I..uh..I hope you're doing okay. Listen I don't really know how to say this…but uh, Tony and I are getting married in a few months….and I'd be grateful if you came. But I don't expect you to. Call me…if you get this. Bye.'

Click.

She placed the phone back on the charger, and walked back to their room, silent tears falling from her eyes.

Hatred had never hurt so much.


	3. Chapter 3

_Okay, so I've decided to carry on with this story. But I really think this is gonna get somewhere: ) umm…this is drabble-ish, my first attempt at it, so if I stink, let me know! Okay, so you know the drill right? I write, I post, you read, you review, I write some more, and I post some more. Easy right? D Okay, vwalla! (or however you spell it!) _

_Song: 'Still'-Brian McKnight. Slightly revised to fit the characters' storyline. Listen to the song, it's amazingg._

--x--

He listened to that message over and over. The words being spoken on the other end stinging him somewhere so deep; he had to hold a fierce grip on the phone to keep his composure.

'_Tony and I are getting married…'_

They stung. Even when he thought they shouldn't.

He thought he left her when he left Chicago. He thought that it was all over. All the memories, the feelings, the pain…he was sure he left all of it when he got on that plane almost two years ago.

But nothing was ever over when it came to Neela. She would always thrive in his heart, no matter how much he tried to forget her. Because if he could forget about her, do you really think that he would choose not to?

But they couldn't work. There were too many painful memories. Too much damage done to the other. Too many words left unsaid. Too many wounds ripped open by the other for anything to ever work.

Michael, Gates, Katey, even his too often one-night stands.

It couldn't work.

And yet he still dreamt about her every night. Thought about her everyday.

He still wanted her.

_Funny when you stop and think  
time's goes faster then you blink.  
Nothing's ever like it was,  
but girl we had a special thing.  
All the happiness it brang…  
had to be more than enough._

Rain began to pour down on him as he walked-yes, _walked_-home to his apartment. He stuffed his phone into his pocket, and he never stopped thinking about her beautiful face. Her eyes…he could never forget her eyes. So deep and pure, the eyes he often lost himself into.

He used to think that learning to walk again would be the hardest thing he would ever have to do.

But no. Not today.

The hardest thing to do these days?

Remembering her.

Thunder rolled through the sky. The rain drenched him to the bone, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered without her.

_I know it's hard to believe:  
You're still the biggest part of me...  
All I'm living for._

He felt hot tears roll down his face in contrast to the cold rain from above. The rain would hide his tears. His Neela…his beautiful and precious Neela…was marrying Tony Gates. This was the final goodbye. The final answer.

He'd lost her. Forever.

And she didn't even know how much he loved her. She didn't know how much he wanted-_needed_-her. His roomie. His best friend.

The girl of his dreams. His heart.

His _everything._

His black leather coat was now dripping with water. His backpack was stained with rain. Lightning struck the sky, causing him to look up. The stars, even in this thunderstorm, glistened beyond the clouds.

And he saw her eyes in them.

_I still think about you.  
I still dream about you.  
I still want you,  
and need you by my side.  
I'm still mad about you.  
All I ever wanted was you.  
You're still the one…_

_Still the one._

Tears. Spilling.

Glistening off his lashes…rolling down his cheeks.

He loved her. He never stopped loving her.

He felt a warm, soft wind blow over him. He let his gaze leave her eyes above, and continued walking.

He felt the beat in his chest grow numb. The same feeling when she left. The same feeling when he left.

Walking. It hurt.

And it wasn't because of the prosthetics.

He was walking too far from her. Walking too far from his heart, where she held in her own.

It hurt to breathe. To think. To live.

_It's hard to breathe when we're apart.  
You're like sunshine in my heart.  
I keep you here inside;  
you've been everything to me.  
You've been and always will be,_

_the apple of my eye._

He'd dated since he'd come home. But he could never find a girl who could do what she did to him. Could never find the girl to steal his heart. She was the only one.

He'd always find something wrong with the girl he dated.

Neela…was his _only_ one.

And it killed him how it took until now to realize it.

He ran a hand to his face, wiping the tears from his eyes, only to make more room… for more tears.

It bewildered him how he never went home to her when he found out about her accident, hell even her suicidal depression. His beautiful Neela….attempting suicide over him. And he didn't go home to her. The guilt was almost enough to make him want to jump in front of another semi.

Never returning her phone calls…never replying to her letters, words scripted from her delicate fingers…words spoken from her soft lips…

He never returned any of them.

_And I know it's hard to believe:  
you're still the biggest part of me…  
all I'm living for.  
I still think about you.  
I still dream about you.  
I still want you,  
and need you by my side.  
I'm still mad about you.  
All I ever wanted was you…  
you're still the one…_

_Still the one._

If guilt hurt, he couldn't imagine how rejection felt.

He couldn't imagine how many tears she had shed over him. It killed him inside to think that he'd been the one that had caused her pain. Even if she'd caused him pain, at least she was still his friend.

He'd sent the message to her that he wanted nothing to do with her. Maybe even a message that he hated her.

Which was far from the truth. Too far.

He stopped walking when he realized that he was in front of his apartment building, and walked up the front steps.

Once he reached his door and opened it, he knew he couldn't let her walk down that aisle without her knowing how much he cared for her, and how deep his love was for her.

_If you love me,  
look into my eyes and say you do.  
I've been waiting all my life  
for someone just like you.  
Baby all that we've been through,  
Girl I'm still in love with you;  
and I want you to know I do, I do._

He ran into his room, packed every inch of clothing he owned into his suitcase, ran into the bathroom, packed everything he would need in that compartment. He ran to his stereo, packing ever CD in his possession, and finally packed his guitar into its case. He grabbed his car keys, shut the lights, and ran out the door, locking it behind him.

He was going home.

_I still think about you.  
I still dream about you.  
I still want you,  
and need you by my side.  
I'm still mad about you.  
All I ever wanted was you,  
you're still the one…_

_Still the one._

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you all for your review. This chapter was difficult to write, so I apologize if it doesn't live up to its anticipation. Please review and let me know. Enjoy._

She sat under the stars late that night outside of her apartment on her balcony. It had been an exhausting shift, one where she didn't have a moment's time to herself, and it was luxurious to finally have a moment's time alone in peace to think. Tony would be on for the next few hours, so she didn't have to worry about talking to anyone for a while. She breathed in the scent of this beautiful Chicago night. The sweet smell of flowers around her, the summer breeze, the unique smell of the season brought ease to her mind. As she sat on the lounge chair, only one thought filtered in Neela's mind.

Ray.

The fact that he didn't answer her call that morning didn't come to her as a shock. She was used to it. It was how it had been for the past two years. She'd call, or sometimes write letters, and they all would go unanswered. The only reports Neela got regarding him came from Katey when she would go visit him for a week or so, then come home and tell her the latest news. Neela and Katey had made peace over the time of his recovery, as well as her own. Katey had realized, as well as Neela that his accident was not her fault. They both came to realize that he caused it all by himself. Neela didn't pour that tequila down his throat that night. She didn't choose for him to start an argument with a sober Tony, and she certainly didn't decide to go to another bar and get even more drunk, instead of taking Greg's advice and go home. He did that all on his own. This realization didn't come easy. It took her countless therapy appointments, ten months of physical recovery, and five months in a mental asylum realize it.

Forgiving herself was another task. Forgiving herself for hurting Ray when she went to Tony after Michael's death. Forgiving herself for giving him false hope. Forgiving herself for hurting Ray when she had moved out of their apartment three years ago…

Three years. That's all. It felt like an eternity. Three years of hidden feelings and unspoken words. Three years of wounded hearts. Three years of painful memories. It felt like a lifetime. In a sense, it was a lifetime. It was a lifetime's worth of memories and hidden emotions. A time when she couldn't have been happier. Ray, back then at least, was the biggest part of her. The sun in her sky, her moon in times of darkness, that light at the end of the tunnel…

He was her everything. And he left her, never coming back after learning from Abby what had happened. That hurt. It felt like her heart was being torn to shreds.

So many tears had been spilt over him, and yet she probably never crossed his mind.

She felt a tear roll down her face, and for the first time in months, she let it fall. She felt her stomach churn with pain. She felt her heart sink deeply into it, and started to feel sick. As the tears fell though, she felt the pressure in her stomach ease.

Maybe they were right. Sometimes it does help to cry. So she did. She cried like she never had before. Tears of memories, guilt, love, sorrow…

She missed him. Missed his beautiful, one-thousand watt smile. Missed those beautiful, deep sea-green eyes. Missed his beautifully sculptured face. Missed those lips…those soft, tender lips that she felt on her own only once in her life.

And Lord help her, she even missed his cocky remarks.

She missed _him_.

Suddenly, she heard the doorbell echo through the apartment. She instantly ran a hand to her face, brushing the tears away. She checked her watch.

It was ten at night. Who the hell would be at her door at this hour? She stood up, and made her way back into the apartment and to the door. She turned the golden metal knob and opened it.

Her heart immediately stopped. Her brain suddenly stopped functioning. Her limbs instantly went numb. Her throat went dry.

She stood there, staring into his eyes, marveled-to say the least-that she had to look _up_, and not down to meet his gaze. And suddenly, she felt one word escape her lips.

One word that at one point meant everything to her. And maybe still did.

'Ray…'


End file.
